The horrific events of Chibok, in northern Nigeria, are symptoms of a deeper malady than the mad men of Boko Haram, the indigenous group which recently kidnapped hundreds of school girls and threatened to enslave and sell them. Events such as these tell us that the very notion of nationhood, one imposed from outside by the pens and purposes of European colonialism, are as shallow as a backyard pool, for Europe, built and bordered the States of Africa purely for their own convenience; the better to exploit the resources of Africa, not for African people.
So, today, we have nations drawn on maps in Europe, bitter divisions dwell, and where tribes trumps nations as the center of identity. The Muslim north of Nigeria has ever felt ill at ease with its southern Yoruba and Christian neighbors. Nigeria has hundreds of languages and perhaps as many tribes and ethnic groups. It is still trying to find a common ground of what it means to be Nigerian. From imprisoned nation, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Noel Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
